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You've heard that Arizona ranks 49 in per pupil K-12 spending. On its face, it sounds disgraceful. But that doesn't mean it's causal to education outcomes. It also doesn't mean that Arizona is stingy. There is much more to the story. The Arizona Tax Research Association (ATRA) has put together a 9-page document titled Arizona K-12 School Finance Statistics: Providing Context to a Complex Measurement, that provides factual information relating to the reasons and fallacies surrounding the commonly argued narrative that Arizona doesn't fund K-12 education adequately.

You've heard the mantra, especially from newspaper editorials around Arizona, accusing the Legislature of "disgraceful, seemingly willful abandonment of our public schools." (See Payson Schools facing Tough Competition.) Arizona's news editors don't want you to know the "rest of the story," if it doesn't fit their Leftist world view. What are the facts?

As 2016 draws to a close, you have likely received many requests for donations. There are many worthy charities and organizations, including your local church! Gilbert Watch has some favorites for your consideration.

by Ms. Julie Smith, a member of the Gilbert Public Schools Governing Board elected in November of 2012. Artwork by Miss Natalie Smith, an eighth grade student at Gilbert Classical Academy, a Gilbert Public School.

On August 9, 2016, the Gilbert Town Council voted to increase taxes this year by $1.5 million dollars. It seems that, since former Mayor John Lewis and Council Members Eddie Cook, Jenn Daniels, and Jordan Ray earned a "Hero of Big Government" ranking from Americans for Prosperity in 2015, the trend continues. Council members are spinning and denying it's a tax increase!

According to Mayor Jenn Daniels: "In light of the incredible misinformation that is being disseminated on Facebook and other forums, I would like to set the record straight: YOUR TAXES DID NOT GO UP by our vote last night or any other vote by our current Town Council."

"In a split vote, the Town of Gilbert elected to raise its secondary property tax for FY17 from a rate of $1.0567 to $1.0609. This results in a tax levy increase of approximately $1.5 million. Surprisingly, some council members attempted to argue the tax rate and levy increase wasn't a tax increase at all. For town leaders to suggest this is not a tax increase is simple obfuscation.

"In actuality, the rate should have decreased substantially this year if they accounted for what property taxpayers have already paid. For cities and towns, the secondary property tax is used exclusively for the repayment of voter-approved bonds. The estimated debt service schedule in this year is $22.7 million. The town has previously over-collected nearly $15 million for this purpose. This money is not a rainy day fund and cannot be used for any other purpose. The town voted to use just 12% of this overpayment account ($1.7 million) to pay for debt service in FY17. It is regrettable the town elected to increase taxes while it earns interest on past over-collections which sit in the bank. Taxpayers must pay the debt-service on bonds, but they first ought to be credited for what they have already paid. At a minimum, Gilbert owes a specific plan to its taxpayers to credit them back for what they have previously overpaid. There is no financial justification to stockpile a massive sum as taxpayers are constitutionally obliged to repay the debt service on voter-approved debt each year via the property tax, making it an incredibly reliable and secure debt-instrument."

Town of Gilbert website: "Proposed New and Increased Taxes or Fees"

The tax hike passed 4-2. Here is the vote:

Gilbert citizen Gary Livacari has been watching the Gilbert Town Council for some time and has written a great article which was recently published in both the Arizona Coalition of Conservative Voters titled Are Times Changing in Gilbert? as well as in AZ Central's My Turn, titled Gilbert must limit government.

It seems that, since earning a "Hero of Big Government" ranking from Americans for Prosperity in 2015, Mayor John Lewis and Council Members Eddie Cook, Jenn Daniels, and Jordan Ray continue expanding government. Follows is a chart which depicts the upward budget climb since 2014. It has nearly doubled from $447 Million to $850 Million.

The Town of Gilbert is getting ready to raise our taxes and expand the size of government at the next council meeting! Our taxes were already raised considerably by the school districts override and bonds. We don't need another tax increase!

After reading through the 2,983 page agenda packet, I noticed there are 10 agenda items this Thursday, June 23, that are jam packed full of budget increases, expansion of government and a tax rate increase. What happened to our "conservative" elected officials? Join me in watching, either in person or live online, who votes for these items. (Items # 4, 9a, 14, 20, 21, 25, 26, 31, 32 & 33). Click HERE to watch the meeting live.

Legislators have been receiving numerous complaints from constituents who are very concerned with the threatening tone of the May 13, 2016 letter from U.S. Attorney General Lynch and U.S. Department of Education Secretary King.

The letter coerces our nation’s K-12 public schools and colleges to ensure that transgender students must be allowed to use the gender designated restrooms, changing rooms and locker facilities of their choosing, not necessarily that of their biological gender. It has been estimated that approximately 0.3% of U.S. individuals identify themselves as transgender.

TheCOMPLAINT FOR DECLARATORY AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF concerns the May 13, 2016 "Joint Guidance" issued by the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education relating to requiring public schools that receive federal funding to allow transgender students to use whatever restroom or locker room they wish, based on how they identify their gender.

The threat to withdraw federal funding from any school that doesn't comply is very clear in this sentence: "Under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, schools receiving federal money may not discriminate based on a student's sex, including a student's transgener status."

After 37 years and trillions of dollars "invested" in our children, here is a short list of some "achievements": 1) There are six million students in the California school system, and 25% of those students are unable to perform basic reading skills. 2) 50% of adults cannot read a book written at an eighth grade level. 3) 45 million adults are functionally illiterate and read below a 5th grade level. 4) 3 out of 4 people on welfare can't read. 5) 20% of Americans read below the level needed to earn a living wage. 6) School dropouts cost our nation $240 billion in social service expenditures and lost tax revenues. 7) 3 out of 5 people in American prisons can't read. 8) Approximately 50% of Americans read so poorly that they are unable to perform simple tasks such as reading prescription drug labels.